Solder Headers - Kitbash

let me start by saying i am not very fond of kit headers, i dont think they look right in most cases.

so i make my own from solder

starting with this big block

i grab a piece of wood and make by exhaust port template by drilling holes in the wood with the same spacing as the engines exhaust ports

2mm solder is just about right for the diameter of headers in scale

i cut 8 pieces of solder about 1.5 inches long

to get them straight, i roll them under a block of wood

and here is what i am left with

now i insert my "header tubes" into my wood template

using a small pair of long tipped needle nose pliers, i start the bending process

i get them bent in the shape i want them

now, leaving them in the template, i cut them to length with a dremel and cut off wheel. i do this slowly so they dont heat up too much

now i flowed a bit of super glue in between the tubes to hold them in place, once they set i pulled the header out of the template

now i repeat for the other side

once both sides are cut to length, i grab some shrink tubing ( normally used in electronic connections )

i cut a piece a bit longer then needed and slide it over the end of the headers

once you heat up the shrink tubing it starts to ....shrink ( imagine that ) stop heating the upper portion just before it starts getting tight on the headers. you can heat the lower bit a bit more as this will form your collector

i push in on the sides of the collectors ( the area where we stopped just short of it being tight ) and use a small drop of super glue to hold it in place.